Crutchfield No. 6

This school located at the intersection of Clinton Parkway/23rd Street and Iowa Street in Lawrence, Kansas was once located in the country and was known by most as No. 6. When this school was considered to be in the country, it was about two miles west of what was the city limits of Lawrence.

The first building to located here and used as a school, was thought to have been a log cabin. As the legend goes and as presented in "Rural Schools and Schoolhouses of Douglas County, Kansas" by Goldie Piper Daniels, this cabin was built on skids and relocated place to place, as needed.

Finally after much dissention about where the school should be located a deed was filed by George and Elizabeth Gilbert to the School District No. 6 for the one and on half acre site at the northwest corner of 23rd and Iowa. Many today are unaware of what this hidden in plain sight building was and of its historical significance to our city and county.

The original building on this site was of a wooden frame construction, facing south, with a porch over the two front doors. It would seat 48 students. This building was demolished in 1924, to facilitate the construction the of the brick structure which exists today.

For the term of 1897-98, in the old wood frame building Lillian Grover taught 43 students. S.M. Reynolds, William Brown and Francis served on the school board. Families living in the school district at that time were: Alford, Amick, Armstrong, Bailey, Brown, Comrie, Day, Dolesshal, Dyer, Ewers, Foreman, Grover Harding, Hughes, Kanfield, Lambert Miller, McKay, Nelson, Parrish, Risley, Raber, Russell, Skinner, Timmermyer, Wheeler Wolgamott and Winfield.

The next two terms were taught by Nora Lane. J.L. Butler, William Brown and C. Grover served as school board members.

Sallie Tracy, Emma Catlin, G. Kirby, Mattie Blaine, Edith Wolgamott, Emma Roher, Golden Star, Elizabeth Doyl and Ruby Streeter taught the first decade of the 20th century. M.D. Gwin, W.H. Davis and C. Dunigan served at school board members.

The teachers for the next decade were: B. Allison, Cloyd Hanselman. Jessie Worswick, Opal Jane Kennedy, Gertie Ott, and Emma Olson (together), and Mary Homan with Mrs. Carl Kelley teaching together for the 1920 period. Jerry Lyons, H.M. Chamney and H.S. Butcher served as school board members.

The decade of the 1920's was taught by: Claude McKnight, Ethel Kindred teaching 4 school periods, Hilda Matthews, Lillian Brown, Elsie Horton and Thelma Mann.

There were now 32 students enrolled. The school board members were now O.R. Bales, H.M. Chamney and W.N. Allison.

Hilda Vernson, D.A. Zweifel, Mildred Maloney, Johanna Grifffis (school periods) and Mrs. Ross Clayton were the teachers for the 1930's. Serving on the board for the term ending in 1940 were Robert Seaman, C.E. Dunigan and Fred Paschel.

Teaching the next decade saw Mrs. Ross Clayton, Leona Madden, Arlene Flory, Emma Berg, May Key, Veda Stanton and Veda Stanton with Myrtle Wigglesworth , Veda Stanton again, with Alma Andes, Veda Stanton again with Vera Jensen for the next two school terms ending the 1950 year. Mrs. C.E. Dunigan James Nickerson, and George Stauffer were serving on the school board in 1950.

Again Veda Stanton started the next decade with Vera Jensen, teaching the next four terms ending in 1956. Veda Stanton teamed with Lorena Brown to teach the next three years.

Crutchfield No. 6 consolidated with other county schools in 1959 to form the new school of Wakarusa Valley School District No. 98. This facility is now the property of Kansas University. I never attended this school, but to me it will always be the country school of old No. 6.